The Young, the Old, and the Diggers

Out of the Tower

IRL Date 9-17-16

1

OCT/16

A somewhat truncated group met with DM Don at the Reaper Game Store on 9-17 to continue exploring the abandoned dwarf keep; regular stalwarts Derek (Ginsu the Rogue), Matt (Deegan the Monk), and Shawn (Maculate the Warlock) were all absent. Present were

Having recently upgraded everyone’s equipment with the haul from the tower’s treasure room, most of those present (the others having succumbed to more food-borne illness) wanted to try out their new toys. There remained one entire level of the keep to explore, and in addition there remained the second floor, in which were located the ballistae which had presented such…interesting…challenges previously.

Using Varris’ familiar, the party quickly discovered that there was neither opposition nor loot on the third floor of the keep, just abandoned rooms filled with garbage and broken pieces of furniture. Down to the second floor then. On the second floor the group learned the hard way that two of the ballistae had been repaired and were being “manned” by the surviving skeletons; the two shots they got off did minimal damage this time, and they were dispatched with alacrity by the heavily armed party. Varanus decided to smash the ballistae into little bitty pieces, and Aevay was more than happy to assist with that project after her previous experience with them. The group continued down the stairs, knowing that the stairs continued down below the first floor.

Continuing to find little of interest, the group followed the stairs down into a storeroom containing nothing of interest even to rats, and then discovered a short passageway leading to several prison cells. The logbook in the desk indicated that it had been used by the garrison, containing as it did lists of dwarf names and minor infractions. From the prison the group discovered a horizontal passage leading into a larger, nearly empty room which appeared to be a dead end, until Thorin descried the outline of a door on one wall. However, the door would not open until a great deal of additional searching found the opening mechanism. After opening the door the group entered a passage angling farther down, deeper into the Underdark, and ending in another door.

At this point, in part because of the number of missing characters and in part because of the DM not feeling well IRL, it was determined to pause the expedition. What lies beyond the door?